Oil Painting Techniques and Materials (Dover Art Instruction)

I couldn't put this book down! He talked about the change from everyone being a craftsman to everyone being educated and throwing out opinions and what he thought that did to society. "Homemade thought is going out of fashion like homemade bread." He talked about the thread of Western art of outline and shading coming from a felt sense of things and the Impressionist vision coming more from the Eastern way of recording the way light hits the retina. He suggests bringing the insights of both into a new art form. He stresses the importance of concentrating separately on form, tone and color. He gives great exercises for tone and color leaving you to read his previous book, the Science of Drawing for form exercises. He talks about squinting down to see simplified tone relationships and paying attention to edges on block-ins. His commentary on modern art is mostly not complimentary (although he points out its merits) believing that technique still matters. I enjoyed reading it because I agreed with some of his insights, found others amusing, and was reminded of the importance of a good self check between opinion and arrogance. He promotes loose compositional sketches and working from your own imagination and inspiration alongside rigorous technical training because both are important in creating a piece of art that is not just about peculiarity or technique but a truly timeless piece. I even loved the chapter on materials because the history of art materials fascinates me. He threads through the book the importance of following intuition. I felt like this book was a letter to my soul from someone living in a time in history that intrigues me and I got to hear what he thought of the changes in art education, in the vocation of most people due to industrialization, and in art itself. I agree with another reviewer that Richard Schmidt's book Alla Prima is a great one and I think maybe a little more practical than this one for its broad scale of advice, information and problem-solving, but Harold Speed's goes into the techniques of the old masters that didn't necessarily paint Alla Prima, like using terre verte underneath portraits and how to play the cool and warm against each other through stumbling, glazing, etc. This book is well worth the price and I highly recommend it.

After years working as a visual development artist for film, I still find the best resource in regards to teaching conventional art are found in the writings of the past. Such greats as Andrew Loomis, John Vanderpoel, George Bridgman and Harold Speed held firm to strong principles not found today in most art teachers. The foundational principles of tone, texture, color and drawing taught in unity---skills that have been forgotten by many art schools across the country.This book is like finding an old Jedi master who teaches the principles which were once so widely taught. Mr. Speed's commentary of several paintings of the old masters inspired me to look for the lost edges and tonal variations often times over looked. I read this work from cover to cover. I knew much of what was in the teaching before hand but was drawn into the presentation of so many foundational disciplines taught as a whole to create beautiful art. Well documented.If you think art is burning a flag(...)this book is not for you. If you think art is a medium to uplift the human soul by the means of expressing tones, edges, drawing and color to the highest level of emotional impact this book is for you. It contains many insightful truths which will help you on your journey. The price of this book is a deal considering the amount of information that's packed inside.I highly recommend this book to serious students and professionals who will enjoy the information contained within these pages. If you are a teacher please read the contents and pass this book on to your serious students.

Checked out the hard cover version in library. Disappointed to find the paperback is only in black and white.

This book was written at the historical turn from Impressionism to Expressionism. Speed's opinions about the transition are often indignant, yet poignant, and are a very interesting and informative example of the shock and opposition to the birth of pure abstraction. Once past that, he launches into a primer on oil painting as it was taught in his time. Even though I have been painting for years, I found in his writing a fresh take on what some would consider to be outdated instruction. A major drawback to this edition is the horrible reproduction of the images from the original text. Speed relies heavily on them and they are impossible to look at. Since they are mostly instructional demonstrations created by Speed, they cannot be accessed online as one can do with the classic works he references. His writing will be the only thing you will take away from this text, but is is still worth a studied read.

Written in the early 1900's, there is a lot of what is being taught today by representative artists in this book. The author shows a little disdain for the Impressionists at first, but does comment on their ability to use color. He uses holdings in the Museum in England to demonstrate historical styles and techniques. Many of his choices are in color. But it still doesn't show a lot due to the problems of reproduction. Interesting to read, but not a major source of new information regarding how to paint in oil for artists of this era. .

I've read his work before called, "The Practice & Science of Drawing' many years ago, as I now have it as another reference book in my artist studio's repertoire. I've enjoyed this book so far, as I'm also reading excepts of other books of artists materials & differ techniques as well, so this work is been really great! This is one that I've missed when I purchased a few art books on materials & techniques that I've always wanted to buy, but that was empty on the shelf and missed getting a copy at the bookstore.

Really good read, with artistic teaching that is different from other art books in which the writer takes on a more philosophical standpoint. The book itself is shoddy, wrinkled 45% humidity the first day, and began falling apart after reading sixty pages. The images have to be looked up online because the scans are so awful.

Perfect book for the details of info needed right now... thank you

アメリカのレビューを見て、面白そうだ、と思い買う。届いたので見てみると、少しがっかりした。1924刊行、280ページ、すべてが白黒印刷。カラー無し。古今の名画が例として出されている。ベラスケス、レンブラントハルス、プッサン、コロー、、、69点。しかし、これを訳すのが大変だ。144ページから、頭部の習作が、5点続いて出る。段階を追って描かれていく。著者はなみなみならぬ技量を持った画家であるとわかる。だが、、、基本の学ぶべき事は、きちんと載っている。ただ、すでに日本の技法書でも書かれている。しいてこの本でしか学べない事が、あるのだろうか。まだ一通り読んでいない状態で、不確かではあるが、、、また読んでから、追加して書こう。アメリカのレビューに、alla prima,,, by schmid,,, ある、合わせてこれを勉強せよ、とある。古書値は34000円してる。1＆2 とあるが、まあ、絶版なんだろう。手は出さないほうがいい。別に、最近の本で、alla prima peinting,,, 2600円位の洋書あり。これを参考にしよう。この技法で名高いのは、ハルスだ。彼の画集を図書館ででも借りて一度は読むといい。参考になる。

An incredibly detailed book that I thoroughly enjoyed, I think it could be a challenge for a beginner because until you have painted a lot you don’t always which answers to look forA Smeeton

期待通りの商品だったので　なにも不満は感じていません。　汚れやしみはほとんど無くアンダ－ラインや書き込みも有りませんでしたので、気持ちよく使用しています。

One of several books I have referred over and over, as I have taught myself what formal education can't anymore; how to actually use the traditional tools and techniques of basic oil painting. It may be strange to have this as a book to keep beside the bed, but I don't care. Other horribly useful books are Solomon J Solomon's Practice of Oil Painting & Drawing, Daniel B Parkhurst's The Painter in Oil, and John E Carlson, Carlson's Guide to Landscape Painting. That last one is the first and last word in books for landscape painters, but these days it will only merit a 1 star review because it doesn't have lots of glossy pictures, step by step guides, and information on what brushes to buy, etc. In other words, these books require you to read, digest, and put the painting hours in.... to get results.